Across the planet there are millions of people who engage in some type of meditation, the practice of concentrating and clearing the mind to bring the body into a state of peace, at least a semi-regular basis. For some, particularly among practitioners of Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, this is part and parcel of their religious practice.
For others, particularly in Western cultures, meditation tends to be a response to stress. With the world economy approaching meltdown and people worried about their job or their ability to keep their home, it’s a way for people to attain a state of peace of mind and well-being.
For those interested in taking up the practice, instruction in meditation for beginners can be found in literally thousands of sources.
One of the most popular styles of mediation in the West, with classes offered in most major cities, is called Transcendental Meditation. TM, as it is known among its practitioners, first came to worldwide attention when the Beatles began practicing it in 1967. For direct, guided, personal instruction in meditation for the beginner, TM may be the hallmark.
Part of the confusion about how to practice meditation effectively is due to the fact that there are literally hundreds of techniques championed by various groups and individuals. As a general principle, it might be said that all meditation techniques seek to have the practitioner attain a state of consciousness that is different to our ordinary state of awareness. They attempt to train people to clear their minds and achieve a sense of inner peace. It sounds simple enough, but of the huge number of people experiment with meditation, very few are able to maintain its practice over the long haul. In most cases, this is due to frustration over the inability to experience any dramatic, instantly recognizable effects.
This is quite a sad state of affairs, that so few these days are willing or equipped to persist in something that doesn’t provide immediate life-changing results. It reflects a culture in which demands for discipline and sustained effort are considered unnecessary or even unfair. It is no surprise therefore that many people abandon their efforts at meditation before they have a chance to bear fruit.
But for anyone who does decide to take up this worthwhile practice, please remember. You must clear your mind, relax and “take it as it comes”. Maintain the practice with a sense of discipline and devotion, and eventually benefits of inner peace and calm will be yours.
小題1:The underlined part “part and parcel of” in paragraph 1 is nearest in meaning to ________.
A．closely associated with B．very different to
C．usually sent from D．a(chǎn)n important element of
小題2:The goal of meditation is ________.
A．to clear the mind B．to practice a religion
C．to develop a technique D．to carry out an experiment
小題3:What can we infer about meditation from the passage?
A．It has two main types.
B．It is practiced by many famous artists.
C．Its benefits are not immediately obvious.
D．Most people find it a very good way to relax.
小題4:According to the writer, what has attracted many Western people to meditation practices in recent years?
A．Their improved understanding of foreign culture.
B．The need to fill in their growing free time.
C．Increasing employment instability.
D．Migration from countries in which meditation is traditional.
小題5:Who is the probable audience for this article?
A．Experienced meditation practitioners.
B．People interested in starting to learn meditation.
C．Buddhists and Hindus.
D．People who are very religious.

小題1:D
小題2:A
小題3:C
小題4:C
小題5:B
文章介紹了宗教行為中常見的默念,默想。
小題1:猜測詞義題。根據(jù)上下文可知默念,默想是東方宗教行為的主要部分。
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第5段第5行They attempt to train people to clear their minds and achieve a sense of inner peace.和第一段第2行the practice of concentrating and clearing the mind to bring the body into a state of peace,可知A正確。
小題3:推斷題。根據(jù)文章最后一句eventually benefits of inner peace and calm will be yours. 可知默想的好處不是一下子就顯示的，而是慢慢地表現(xiàn)出來。故C正確。
小題4:推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段2,3行With the world economy approaching meltdown and people worried about their job or their ability to keep their home可知C正確。
小題5:推理題。根據(jù)文章內(nèi)容可知作者是一個對默念,默想非常了解的人，也許是一個對默念,默想非常感興趣的人。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Some Chinese new-rich like eating shark fin soup because they think it shows their class. However, for the Chinese NBA idol Yao Ming, doing so is unacceptable as the practice has led to the overfishing of sharks.
When Yao and his wife Ye Li got married in 2007, they publicly announced that they would not allow shark fin soup to be served at their wedding banquet.
Actually, Yao had been saying no to shark fins since 2006, when he was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for wild life protection.
Now, the 226-cm big guy is resorting to his personal influence to encourage more to say no to eating the soup and to raise awareness of animal protection. "Sharks are friends of human beings. They are not our food," Yao said.
Other celebrity athletes like Olympic champions Li Ning and Kong Linghui are following on the heels of Yao, throwing themselves into serving the public as Goodwill Ambassadors for wild animal rescue. Recent reports about Yao's retirement have saddened tens of thousands of basketball fans both at home and abroad. Yet Yao's influence goes far beyond the basketball courts.
Yao has engaged himself in charity and public welfare services for quite a while. When the devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake hit Wenchuan in southwest China in 2008, Yao donated 2 million yuan . "When I was a little boy, my parents and teachers told me to help others and to be a good man," Yao recalled.  "But I could not donate then because I had not much pocket money. After I moved to Houston, I got involved in quite a number of community service activities and I felt a strong sense of achievement when I got people together," Yao said.
Like Yao, newly crowned French Open champion Li Na has showed her willingness to donate. Li gave 480,000 yuan of her prize money from the open, plus 20,000 yuan from her own pocket, to a local nursing home in her hometown. Another Chinese sports icon, hurdler Liu Xiang, has also been actively involved in charity for years.
小題1:The reason why some Chinese new-rich like eating shark fin soup is that they think _______ .
A．it is very delicious B．it is very cheap and healthy
C．it is very popular in society D．it can show their status
小題2:Yao Ming is against eating shark fin soup because ________ .
A．too many sharks are killed B．he dislikes eating sharp fin
C．it is too expensive D．sharks are dangerous animals
小題3: Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A．Li Na donated 500,000 yuan to a local nursing home in her hometown.
B．Yao Ming donated 2 million yuan after the earthquake of Wenchuan.
C．Yao Ming has encouraged more people to stop eating shark fin soup and protect animals.
D．Yao Ming was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for protecting wild life in 2007.
小題4:What words can be used to describe Yao Ming according to the passage?
A．Rich and generous.B．Influential and warmhearted.
C．Energetic and optimistic.D．Popular and confident.
小題5:From the passage , we can learn that________.
A．most athletes don't like eating shark fin soup
B．Yao Ming has been donating money to charity since he was a child
C．Yao Ming has an influence on not only the basketball courts but also charity and public welfare services
D．Yao Ming has taken part in many community service activities when he was in China

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Parent fans, both dads and mums, are shaming British football with their bad behaviour. Hundreds of junior soccer matches had to be abandoned last season because parent fans were swearing or even fighting on the touchline. At schools and clubs across the UK, hundreds of more matches also had to be called off for the same reason.
Reports tell of abuse at referees（裁判）, players and coaches and fight breaking out on the touchline.
Enough is enough    Peter Wright, a keen referee of junior soccer, finally hung up his boots last season. He decided to walk away for good. He said “Every week I have had to take abuse and I’ve had enough of it.”
“Parents’ behaviour is reducing many school teachers, referees, coaches and volunteers to despair.”
The kids are suffering    Jim Peter, a referee, said, “We are getting desperate and the kids are suffering.” He described the way spectators（觀眾）behave as abysmal and getting worse year by year. The big question is why so many parents shame their children in this way. Aggressive Behavior Contracts may have to be introduced to stop the violence and abuse. If not, the game will suffer.
Sign up to good conduct    Last season players and parents were made to sign a new good behavior contract. “If a parent breaks the contract, I take his or her child off the pitch and get him or her to explain why I have done so to the child,” said Marc Nash, Wallsend’s assistant leader.
“The next step is to ban both the parent and the child, but happily, so far this has not been necessary.”
小題1:A number of junior soccer matches were abandoned last season because       .
A．players abused spectators in the matches
B．parent fans swore and fought outside the pitch
C．school teachers persuaded the government to call them off
D．referees and coaches fought on the touchline
小題2:Who’s an assistant leader in the passage?
A．Marc Nash.B．Jim Peter.C．Peter Wright.D．Wallsend.
小題3:The underlined word “abysmal” in the passage means       .
A．extremely badB．weakC．disappointingD．impolite

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Maybelle said she wouldn't be coming with me to the library. I asked why, and she said she could get all the short stories she wanted off the Internet. Saved walking all the way to the library, and putting up with my long chat on the way there, and on the way back. Maybelle is very direct like that, always has been.
"But, Maybelle, we've been walking to the library every' Monday for the last fifty years!"
She said," Why don't you get Internet'? We can send each other emails."
So I had to get Internet. I called the local high school. They said they'd send me a good student to tell me all about computers and such.
Evil thing, this Internet. Makes you lose old friends, forces you to learn new complex ideas, even if you're too old. But Maybelle said you have to be modern; otherwise, you're dead.
The kid came the next day. Tall skinny black kid, by tile name of Arsenius, said his work would cost me.
I said, "All right. As long as I get Internet."
"You need a computer, then you need to get hooked up," he said.
"Let's buy a computer and get hooked up, then."
"How much you want to spend?"
"Whatever it takes."
"How many rams you want?"
I wasn't going to show him my ignorance, so I said, "Whatever it takes."
"Let's go to the mall. You got a car?"
"In the garage."
When I opened the garage door, he gasped. Daddy's car is still there, a'57 Chevy. I never drive it. Walk everywhere.
I said," Let's walk. It's only a mile or so."
He said," Let's drive, or you will faint on me in this heat."
"Young man, I don't faint, never have. We're walking."
"I get paid by the hour," he said. "Walking will cost you a lot more. Also, you feel like carrying a computer a mile or so?"
小題1:What kind of person is Maybelle?
A．She always says what she means in an honest way.
B．She no longer likes reading in her old age.
C．She doesn't want to be friends with the writer any mort.
D．She doesn't want to keep up with the time.
小題2:Why does the writer want to have Internet at his place?
A．Because the writer believes that one is never too old to learn.
B．Because the writer thinks that it is better late than never.
C．Because of the pressure from people of his age.
D．Because of the convenience the Internet will bring.
小題3:Arsenius gives _________ reasons for driving to the mall.
A．twoB．threeC．fourD．five

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Is war unavoidable? Can war be prevented?
History tells that there were wars, great or small, in every century, in every decade. Throughout the ages, from the Stone age to the Atomic Age, men have been fighting, first with swords and shields(盾), then with guns and cannons, and now, hydrogen bombs and missiles are used for military purpose. But, in spite of all these, it is still my belief that war can be prevented and peace can be won, but it requires the effort of every one of us.
I am sure that we would not like to experience another world war. If it ever happens, two-thirds of the world and much of the civilization which men have gained through time, patience and effort will be destroyed. Will then the remaining one-third of the world be able to survive on its own?
Our task now is not to blame the past, but to plan for the future.
If there is peace in the world, men can use their rockets to explore the mystery of space, their submarines to explore the depth of the sea, their missiles to deliver mails and their fine equipment to penetrate(穿透) the jungles of Africa, instead of using them military.
Governments can use their money to build more schools, so that more children can be educated to be useful citizens. Scientists can use atomic energy to propel (推動) steamships and planes. They can also design new machines to increase the production of goods and thus improve the way of living of the people.
How can a peaceful world be achieved? It requires, in my opinion, the understanding and friendship between all people from all nations. Let no one suffer discrimination by reason of color, race, religion, or national origin. Let the rich support the poor and the strong help the weak.
We know that neither peace nor such a dream world can come true in a day or a month. It may even take decades or centuries. But let us plan and begin now.
小題1:The best title for this passage is _________.
A．The Past and the FutureB．To Die or To Survive
C．War and PeaceD．Understanding and Friendship
小題2:In the writer’s opinion, __________.
A．it is too difficult to achieve peace
B．peace can be won through the efforts of all human beings
C．a(chǎn)nother world war is inevitable
D．wars will always exist in the world
小題3:We can infer from the passage that __________.
A．wars were not expensive in the past
B．wars can promote the development of weapons
C．things for military use can be transformed to peaceful use
D．a(chǎn)s long as there are wars, people’s way of living cannot be improved
小題4:What should we do to achieve peace?
A．Spend more money educating children.
B．Stop military exploration
C．Call on people to help each other
D．Act from right now on.
小題5:Which word can best describe the writer’s picture of the future of the world?
A．OptimisticB．PessimisticC．ImaginativeD．Disappointing

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地).On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
小題1:Which of the following is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
A．Parents bring up children.
B．Parents give love and care to children.
C．Parents educate children to be good persons.
D．Parents pass away before children grow up.
小題2:Which do you think is right about “carnation”?
A．It has only two kinds of colors.
B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
C．It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes.
D．People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in May.
小題3:What do you know from the passage?
A．Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May.
B．Fewer women worked outside the home in the past.
C．Not all the children respect their parents
D．Fathers are not as important as mothers at home.
小題4:On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, _______.
A．people usually have family parties
B．everyone goes to visit the cemetery
C．children always go to parents’ home
D．hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

In Europe, many people make friends between their countries through town twinning. Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become “twins” with a sister-city relationship.
The people find pen friends in the twin town. They exchange newspapers and stamps. The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town. Officials visit the twin town for celebrations. Ordinary people travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away.
Sometimes, schools even exchange their classes for two or three weeks! For example, German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain, staying with British families. A few months later, their British friends come to study in Germany.
Many British towns are so pleased with the results of the twinning that they set out to find more than one twin town!
Tonbridge, a small town in Kent, for example, has twin towns in both Germany and France. Richmond near London has relationships with Germany, France and even a town in a Balkan(巴爾干半島的) country!
Town twinning can help make friends. It helps students improve their language skill, and also helps people to understand the differences between nations.
小題1:Which is the best title for the passage?
A．Town Twinning
B．Friendly Towns
C．Exchanging Teachers and Students
D．Peace and Understanding
小題2:Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．Twin towns exchange newspapers and stamps.
B．Twin towns exchange business skill.
C．Schools in twin towns exchange classes for a period of time.
D．Ordinary people travel to the twin town.
小題3:Twin towns develop ____________.
A．between European countries and China
B．in the English-speaking countries only
C．in the same country
D．between different countries
小題4:How many countries are mentioned in this passage?
A．7B．6.C．5D．4
小題5:One of the advantages of town twinning is to ________.
A．earn more money
B．set up schools
C．improve students’ language skills
D．develop industry and agriculture

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Make Up Your Mind to Succeed
Kind-hearted parents have unknowingly left their children defenseless against failure. The generation born between 1980 and 2001 grew up playing sports where scores and performance were played down because “everyone’s winner.” And their report cards sounded more positive (正面的) than ever before. As a result, Stanford University professor Carol Dweck, PhD, calls them “the overpraised generation.”
Dweck has been studying how people deal with failure for 40 years. Her research has led her to find out two clearly different mind-sets that have a great effect on how we react to it. Here’s how they work:
A fixed mind-set is grounded in the belief that talent (才能) is genetic – you’re a born artist, point guard, or numbers person. The fixed mind-set believes it’s sure to succeed without much effort and regards failure as personal shame. When things get difficult, it’s quick to blame, lie, and even stay away from future difficulties.
On the other hand, a growth mind-set believes that no talent is entirely heaven-sent and that effort and learning make everything possible. Because the ego (自尊) isn’t on the line as much, the growth mind-set sees failure as a chance rather than shame. When faced with a difficulty, it’s quick to rethink, change and try again. In fact, it enjoys this experience.
We are all born with growth mind-sets. (Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to live in the world.) But parents, teachers, and instructors often push us into fixed mind-sets by encouraging certain actions and misdirecting praise. Dweck’s book, Mind-set: The New Psychology of Success, and online instructional program explain this in depth. But she says there are many little things you can start doing today to make sure that your children, grandchildren and even you are never defeated by failure.
小題1:What does the author think about the present generation?
A．They don’t do well at school.
B．They are often misunderstood.
C．They are eager to win in sports.
D．They are given too much praise.
小題2:A fixed mind-set person is probably one who ___ .
A．doesn’t want to work hard
B．cares a lot about personal safety
C．cannot share his ideas with others
D．can succeed with the help of teachers
小題3:What does the growth mind-set believe?
A．Admitting failure is shameful.
B．Talent comes with one’s birth.
C．Scores should be highly valued.
D．Getting over difficulties is enjoyable.
小題4:What should parents do for their children based on Dweck’s study?
A．Encourage them to learn from failures.
B．Prevent them from making mistakes.
C．Guide them in doing little things.
D．Help them grow with praise.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Buying a house for most of the people is a once in a lifetime decision, which means people decide to do so only after coming across the ideal house. Surprisingly, eight in every 10 home buyers are unhappy with their houses.
A survey conducted by the Beijing Consumers’ Association (BCA) recently shows about 80 percent of the 2,315 respondents in 23 residential complexes of Beijing are dissatisfied with the soaring house prices.
They think the reasonable price in Beijing should be between 3,000 yuan and 7,000 yuan per square meter.
The quality of the buildings, the surrounding environment and traffic and property management(物業(yè)管理)are the other factors that play a role in people’s decision to buy a house.
The BCA has suggested strict sales regulations and contracts to ease house-owners’ sufferings. It has urged the authorities to impose severe punishment on developers found violating building and other rules and joining hands with others to bid up property prices, About 41.2 percent of the respondents have complained that their house have defective designs, while nearly 40 percent say the lighting and ventilation(通風(fēng))are far from satisfactory.
The landscapes in the residential areas are a source of unhappiness for 43.2 percent of the respondents, and about one-third say they were “bluffed” into buying “third grade” house. And more than half are not satisfied with the sport and entertainment facilities in their neighborhood.
Property management in the buildings, 56.5 percent of the respondents say, is way below standard compared to the high fee charged by the complexes.
60 percent of the consumers doubt the contents of developers’ advertisements, with only 6.3 percent being satisfied.
Experts have suggested consumers gather thorough knowledge about a developer and their work before deciding to buy a house from it. They should check the day-light conditions and ventilation in different weather conditions in advance, if possible.
小題1: According to the passage________ of the buyers are NOT content with their houses.
A．80％B．60％C．56.5 ％D．41.2％
小題2:Which is the best title of the passage?
A．Most Home Buyers Are Unhappy with Their House.
B．Buying a House Is an Important Decision.
C．Thinking Carefully Before Buying a House.
D．The Environment Is Important When Making a Decision.
小題3:The meaning of the underlined word probably means “_______”.
A．fooledB．cheatedC．a(chǎn)skedD．forced
小題4:If you want to buy a flat, according to the survey, you will consider the following EXCEPT_______.
A．property managementB．the surrounding environment
C．the quality of the buildingsD．the height of the building

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